Annik Honoré, the inspiration for “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, dies aged 56

Annik Honoré, the Belgian music promoter and journalist, has died aged 56, according to reports.
Honoré was best known for her relationship with Ian Curtis, who she met in London in 1979.
Born on October 12, 1957, in Belgium, Honoré moved to London in 1979, where she became a secretary at the Belgian Embassy.

Annik Honoré, the Belgian music promoter and journalist, has died aged 56, according to reports.

Honoré was best known for her relationship with Ian Curtis, who she met in London in 1979.

Born on October 12, 1957, in Belgium, Honoré moved to London in 1979, where she became a secretary at the Belgian Embassy.

Later that year, Honoré and journalist Michel Duval began promoting shows at Plan K in Brussels. Joy Division performed on the club’s opening night on October 16.

In 1980, Honoré and Duval founded Factory Records imprint Factory Benelux, as well as the independent Belgian music label Les Disques du Crépuscule.

Les Disques du Crépuscule released records by Michael Nyman, Josef K, Cabaret Voltaire, Gavin Bryars, The Pale Fountains, and the cassette, From Brussels With Love, which included contributions from John Foxx, Thomas Dolby, Bill Nelson, Brian Eno and Durutti Column.

Honoré left the music business in the 1980s and worked for the EU in Brussels.

Speaking about her relationship with Ian Curtis in a 2010 Honoré said, “It was a completely pure and platonic relationship, very childish, very chaste… I did not have a sexual relationship with Ian, he was on medication, which rendered it a non-physical relationship. I am so fed up that people question my word or his: people can say whatever they want, but I am the only person to have his letters… One of his letters says that the relationship with his wife Deborah had already finished prior to us meeting each other.”

Honoré died in July 3, after a serious illness.

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